Group 4 Science Project Day

2018-10-16T09:32:46+01:00February 27th, 2016|

In most science classes students work alone or in pairs; the purpose of the Group 4 project is to introduce students to the idea that science is a group activity performed by teams and that do not always comprise of just physicists, biologists or chemists but a mixture of scientists from different disciplines plus mathematicians, economists even musicians and artists. In IB speak the aim is to:

  • “encourage an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and the overarching nature of the scientific method”,
  • “develop and apply the students’ information and communication technology skills in the study of
    science”and 
  • “raise awareness of the moral, ethical, social, economic and environmental implications of using
    science and technology”

The following is a reflection about the day written by student Sara-Estelle Gößwein.

Group 4 Day – An experience of applied science

In my old school we maybe did three experiments during all the years I had sciences as a subject.  Not so at UWC! We spent an entire day just developing ideas and experimenting in order to gain practical knowledge. Pure ‘learning by doing’.

Visiting a local hydroelectric plant

Visiting a local hydroelectric plant

The ‘Group-4 day’ requires students to spend ten hours on a scientific project.  Norway uses its nature in a considerate and careful way in order to produce some of the energy needed for its population. So a day had been planned by the physics department, which would allow us to create a model of a hydroelectric power plant. In teams of four we started to discuss ideas, share previous knowledge, ask questions and meet challenges. Some of our doubts or empty spaces were soon filled by useful and precise information we received during a visit of an actual hydro-electric power-plant, which one of its three owners kindly showed and explained to us. At first we were surprised that a power plant can be disguised in such a cozy (hyggelig) looking house!

Later, not only the students, but also our supervisors were then electrified by how efficient most of our models turned out to be. After visiting the power-plant, building the models and taking data from the river near by, we calculated actual values for our models and evaluated that due to various reasons a hydroelectric power-plant would unfortunately not be feasible at RCN.

Although we will not change our models into real power-plants I am happy to conclude that I found the ‘Group 4 day’ very interesting; I enjoyed working in my group and found myself becoming even more curious about the topic itself.

Here are some pictures from the day.

Norwegian Red Cross Partnership

2018-10-16T09:32:46+01:00February 26th, 2016|

It is with great pleasure that today we announce a partnership between the Norwegian Red Cross and UWC Red Cross Nordic. RCN has been invited to be an integral part of the local Red Cross Førstehjelpsgruppa / First Response Team. This means that our trained Red Cross second year first aiders and the Coordinator / other staff will be part of the local emergency services available in term time to serve the local community in a possible time of a need. The RCN team will operate in a supportive capacity to the SoF Red Cross coordinating team

This is very much in the tradition of Kurt Hahn, the founder of the UWC movement. Atlantic College established first class rescue services over fifty years ago life (including Inshore Life Boats, coast and life guards).

It is a real privilege that our College and our students shall be able to serve our local community in this way and it serves as a core component of our developing partnership with the Red Cross.

Samarbeidet mellom Norges Røde Kors og UWC Røde Kors Nordisk

Det er med glede eg kan meddele at UWC har vorte invitert som ein integrert del av den lokale Røde Kors Førstehjelpsgruppa. Dette betyr at andreklassingane og UWC-tilsette i vår røde korsgruppe er del av den lokale utrykningsgruppa. UWC-gruppa vil støtte Sogn og Fjordane Røde Kors.

Dette er heilt i tråd med tradisjonane til Kurt Hahn, grunnleggaren av UWC røyrsla. Atlantic College (Wales) grunnla ei fram i frå redningsteneste for over femti år sidan (inkludert livbåt for kystnære områder, kystvakt og badevakt).

Det er eit privilegium at skulen og studentane kan vere ein del av den lokale hjelpegruppa. Det samsvarar med den grunnleggande intensjonen i samarbeidet med Røde Kors.

Richard D A Lamont
Rektor

Masfjorden Chess Tournament

2018-10-16T09:32:47+01:00February 23rd, 2016|

Eventual winner Philip Sumner deep in thought ... a strategy emerging?

Eventual winner Philip Sumner deep in thought … a strategy emerging?

A party of fourteen from RCNUWC – students and a member of staff – played in the Masfjorden Grand Prix Chess Tournament over three days February 19-21. Six rounds were played in a Swiss system with a Buchholtz tie breaker. Six of us finished in the top eleven places and received prizes. They were Alex Silva Garcés (Ecuador), Edson Cadenillas Ñaccha (Peru), Jacob Yath Deng Dau (South Sudan), Kip Sumner (Canada), Philip Sumner (China/Canada) and Redi Cane (Albania). Philip was the outright winner, with six wins out of six games, beating Monica Lauvik Fjelstad in the crucial final game on Sunday afternoon! Results can be inspected on the website, here.

Friluftsveka in Vangen

2018-10-16T09:32:48+01:00February 21st, 2016|

Friluftsveke - one of the ski groups

Friluftsveke – one of the ski groups

Relaxation, freedom, time, friends, sports, fun, nature, challenges, reading, adventure, snow, sunshine, fresh air – those are some of the impressions from students trying to summarize the Friluftsveka we have just had, in one word.

For five days we had the opportunity to discover the nature surrounding us in a very special way. While half of the first-years went cross-country-skiing in Vangen (Stryn) – blessed with powdery, new snow and sunshine, the other half of the year group had time on campus, to enjoy nature there and connect with friends or to discover new friendships with “… the people I always wanted to drink tea with but didn’t have time to do so”.

Friluftsveke - bonfire in the snow

Friluftsveke – bonfire in the snow

For most of us skiing was a new experience but thanks to our very well prepared group-leaders and a suitable group-size the challenge could be easily overcome. Soon we were no longer ‘Group 4’ but ‘The strong interdependent people’ – supporting each other, helping each other to get back up when we fell down, pushing each other to the limits when we were climbing up ‘Bergsetnakken’ – one of the hills – on our skis and enjoying packed lunches on self-made snow-benches. Not only did we learn about ourselves and the people around us, but we also learned about Norway’s nature and how to be prepared for certain outdoor scenarios. We built a snow cave and learned useful facts about avalanches and how to avoid starting them! Although we could have slept in our snow cave, we used the ‘Gapahuk’ – which could be described as ‘a house with one wall missing’– to spend one night outdoors, sleeping in cozy sleeping bags after having a talk around the bonfire we made. That was a very significant experience for most of us – as some really enjoyed it, while others found it very hard to sleep in the cold. But still it will be a memory that we will always have!

Friluftsveke - Bela (left) and Sara-Estelle

Friluftsveke – Bela (left) and Sara-Estelle

All our newly-gained knowledge could then be demonstrated in an interactive group-quiz on skis, before we returned to campus with exhausted bodies, but fresh minds, to then participate in the ‘Winter-Carnival’. These were another two days of relaxation and connecting with more of the first-years. The Høegh had been turned into a cozy ‘hytte’ and we enjoyed playing games, talking, making color mandalas, or making music together. Again there was the possibility to go and discover nature around Flekke, with or without snowshoes.

Looking back on the last five days, my definition of Friluftsliv has become more and more concrete but, however, not complete – because each time you spend time in nature with friends will bring new experiences and new ideas about what Friluftsliv means to you. But one thing is clear: when you are in Norway, take the chance to appreciate its nature whenever you can.

Sara-Estelle (RCN ’17)
Photos by Magnea Johannsdóttir (RCN ’17)

Quotes from students:

“If I had to describe Friluftsveka in one word I would say ‘discovering’. Not only did I discover something new about myself but I also discovered new things about my friends and discovered new people and teachers. But most importantly, I discovered the importance of setting myself new challenges and breaking my limits in order to allow myself to have more adventures like this one.”
Belamy A Toner (Costa Rica RCN ’17)

“In a nutshell, I really experienced the meaning of Friluftsveka: free, life and air during this ski week. It was amazing. Thank you very much for having this ski week.”
Yangzom Dolma (Tibet RCN ’17)

“Having skied before, I was very eager to witness my friends trying for the first time, and I was so impressed by how quickly most of group got the hang of it.”
-Robin Stokke (Norway RCN ’17)

For a selection of photographs from the week, click here.

For news about the inaugural Neil Davis Friluftsliv PBL – click here.

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